Phonograph



July 26, 1938. CONEY v 2,125,100

PHONOGRAPH Filed Nov. 19, 1936 tr/emloi.

Jonah J Carwy Jada/gym Patented July 26, 1938 NiE arcane PHONOGRAPEI llionald ll. Conley, Detroit, Mich, assignor to N.

Marshall Seehurg, Chicago, mi.

Application November 19, 1936, Serial No. lllu'iiil 8 Gil. (Ci. hid-did) This invention relates to phonographs and more particularly to dual phonographs which comprise a manually controlled phonograph and an automatic phonograph.

The general nature of the invention will he more readily understood by a brief description of a preferred embodiment of the invention. For example, I may take a phonograph of well-lmown type which is controlled by the .insertionof one or more poins. Such phonographs normally have a plurality of records from which a customer may select one or any other number. By inserting a corresponding number of coins in a coin chute the records thus selected will he played. If no records are selected, the phonograph will play a sequence of records. Such phonographs are well known and they normally @remain idle a large part of the time.

According to the present invention .i provide an auxiliary phonograph which "is brought into operation automatically, for example, by means oi a. time switch, and this auxiliary phonograph may make a suitable announcement. For examample; it may give'a short advertising tails. The auxiliary phonograph is connected to the same amplification and reproducing system as the main phonograph. Means are provided whereby one phonograph is prevented "from coming into operation when the other phonograph is playing. If the main phonograph is playing a selection at a time when the time switch closes, that selection is not interrupted, but the signal is stored and immediately at the end of that selection the auxiliary phonograph comes into operation and gives the talk due at that time This occurs whether or not the main phonograph is set for further selections. After the talk by the auxiliary phonograph, the playing of such selections as have been paid for on the main phonograph is resumed. If a customer inserts a coinor coins into the main phonograph. while the auxiliary phonograph is playing, the main phonograph does not start to play until the termination of the talk by the auxiliary phonograph.

The invention will be more completely understood by the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, which is a diagrammatic illustration of a. machine embodying the invention.

The mechanism on the left-hand side of the drawing represents schematically the fundamental parts of a conventional automatic phonograph; The mechanism on the right-hand side of the drawing represents the auxiliary elements which are added thereto in order to attain the objects of the present invention. The manner in which two units are connected together by wiring is, of course, readily apparent from the drawing.

The main phonograph comprises a turntable iii which is supported on the upper end of a long spindle ii. This spindle is driven by a gear it? which is splined on the spindle so that the spindle may move up and down. The gear i2 is driven from. a main'motor it which operates when the main phonograph is in operation.

The main phonograph includes a pick-up i6 and means for supporting a plurality of records it between the lowermost position of the turntable it) and the normal position of the pick-up id. The phonograph may be provided with means (not shown) for introducing a selected record or a selected sequence of records it into alignment with the turntable it. After each record is thus presented, the linkage it is operated so as to force the turntable it upwardly to bring the record into cooperation with the pick.- up it. After the termination of the playing the turntable descends, the record it is taken therefrom and returned to its position in the stack. At the same time the pick-up M is returned to its initial playing position for engagement with the next record. The upward and downward movements of the turntable it are accompanied by half rotations of a shaft ii. This shaft carries-an arm iii on which is pivotally mounted a dog it. This do iii carries a pin 26 and is normally held in the position shown by a spring ii. The shaft il ro-= tates in the direction indicated by the arrow and near the end of the half turn which it performs during the descent of the turntable iii, the pin til engages a stationary abutment 22' which causes an angular deflection of the dog it] with respect to the arm it, against the tension of the spring 26. When the pin 20 clears the abutment 22' thespring 2i causes the dog is to flip rapidly into the position shown in the drawing. in so doing the pin 2% engages one of the teeth of a ratchet wheel 22 and causes it to rotate in countercloclrwise direction. The ratchet wheel 22 is biased by a spring 23 so that it tends to rotate in the opposite direction. It is prevented from rotating in this direction by an escapement 2d.

The phonograph is provided with a conventional coin slide 25 which is so arranged that each coin which is inserted into the machine by thecoln slide closes a switch 26. The switch 2%, together with a suitable resistance, for example,

relay lamp 21, is in series with an electromagnet 28. This circuit is connected to the l10-volt power lines 29 and 30 by means of conductors I04 and I05. The escapement 24 carries an armature 3| in cooperative relationship with the electromagnet 28. When a coin is inserted, the switch 26 is closed, the electromagnet 28 is energized and the escapement 24 permits the ratchet wheel 22, under the influence of the spring 23, to move one tooth in the clockwise direction. If a successive number of coins is inserted in the coin slide 25, the ratchet wheel 22 will rotate a corresponding number of teeth, within the capacity of the device.

The ratchet wheel 22 carries a pin 32 which is adapted to engage the end of a pivotally mounted arm 33. The arm 33 carries contacts 34 and 35 which are adapted to cooperate with stationary contacts 36 and 31 respectively, which are connected to power line 30 by conductor l01. The arm 33 is biased by a spring 42 so that it normally tends to move the contacts 34 and 35 into engagement with the contacts 36 and 31. The normal initial position of the ratchet wheel 22 is that shown in the drawing. In this position of the ratchet wheel the pin 32 holds the contacts 34 and 35 separated from the contacts 36 and 31.

When a coin is inserted the switch 26 is closed and the ratchet wheel 22 is turned one tooth in the clockwise direction. As a result of this movement, the pin 32 separates from the switch arm 33 and the contacts 34 and 35 make engagement with the contacts 36 and 31. The insertion of successive coins merely causes the ratchet wheel 22 to move a corresponding number of teeth steps in the clockwise direction. As indicated above, each time the turntable I descends the pin 20 causes the ratchet wheel 22 to move .one step in the counter-clockwise direction. Consequently,

after a number of records I5, corresponding to the number of coins inserted, has been played the pin 32 moves the contacts 34 and 35 away from the contacts 36 and 31, breaking the operating circuit of the main motor as will hereinafter be more fully described.

The main phonograph unit includes an ampliher 38 and a loud speaker 38.

The spindle I I carries a disc 40 which is adapted, in the lowermost position of the turntable I0, to move two contacts 4| together. In its lowermost position the disc 40 also forces two contacts 43 together. Each lead of the pick-up I4 is connected to one of the contacts 4|. The result is that when the turntable I0 is in its lowermost position the pick-up I4 is shorted by the contacts 4|.

The auxiliary unit comprises a turntable 44 on which is located a single record 45. The record 45 may have a suitable number of short talks recorded thereon. For example, it may have four short talks, each of somewhat less than a minute's duration. The turntable 44 is driven by a motor 46, when the latter is energized, and a pick-up 41 is provided for cooperation with the record 45. The motor 46 also drives very slowly a large gear wheel 41'. This gear wheel preferably makes one revolution during the playing of the record 45; that is, during the four successive talks which are recorded on that record.

The gear 41' carries a pin 48 which is adapted to engage an arm 48 which extends radially from a vertical shaft 50. This shaft is mounted for free rotation about its longitudinal axis and has pivoted to its upper end the tone arm which carries the pick-up 41. The playing of the record 45 causes the player arm 5| to move inwardly towards the center of the record. This brings the arm 49 into the path of the pin 48 so that the final rotation of the gear 41' causes the tone arm 5| to move to initial playing position. During this movement of the tone arm the same is held elevated by a rod 52. This rod is mounted for longitudinal movement and carries at the upper end a bar 53 which is adapted .to engage the underside of the tone arm 5|. It will thus be seen that when the rod 52 is held in its uppermost position, the tone arm 5| may be slid back to a point above initial playing position without injury to the record 45.

On its uppermost side the gear 41' is-provided with four cams 54 which are adapted to engage a roller 55 on the lower end of the rod 52. This rod is held against rotation and for this purpose it may suitably have a square cross-section and be guided in square openings in the frame of the auxiliary phonograph. The cams 54 are so located on the gear 41 that the tone arm 5| is elevated at the end of each talk on the record 45. After the playing of the lasttalk, the appropriate cam 54 lifts the shaft 52 and while it isthus raised the pin 48 engages the pin 49 and returns the pick-up 41 to a point above initial playing position.

The rod 52 carries a disc 56 which is adapted, when the rod 52 is movedupwardly, to close a pair of contacts 51. The contacts 51 are connected to the leads of the pick-up 41 so that the pick-up 41 is short-circuited when the tone arm is raised from the record 45.

The auxiliary unit also comprises a time switch 58. The time switch 58 may comprise a conductive arm 59 which rotates once an hour and comes into engagement with conductors 60 at suitable intervals, for example, every quarter of an hour. The arm .59 may suitably be connected to the power lead 30 by a conductor I02 and the contacts 60 may be connected through a suitable resistance, for example, a relay lamp 6|, by a conductor I03 to one side of an electromagnet 62. The other side of the magnet 62 is connected to the power lead 29 by a conductor IOI.

The electromagnet 62 cooperates with an armature of an escapement 63 of a ratchet 64 which is mounted for free rotation on a stationary shaft 65. The ratchet 64 is biased by a spring 66 for rotation in the counter-clockwise direction so that when the magnet 62 is energized, which occurs each quarter of an hour, the ratchet wheel 64 moves one tooth in the counter-clockwise direction under the influence of the spring 66. The ratchet wheel 64 carries a pin 61 which is adapted to engage an arm 68 which carries con tacts 69 and 10. The arm 68 is biased by the spring 1| so as normally to bring the contacts 69 and towards stationary contacts 12 and 13. When the ratchet wheel 64 is rotated sufficiently in-the clockwise direction, the pin 61 makes contact with the arm 68 and separates the contacts 69 and 10 from the contacts 12 and 13. When the electromagnet 62 is energized, the ratchet wheel 64 moves the distance of one tooth in the counter-clockwise direction and the spring 1| moves the arm 68 to bring the contacts 68 and 10 into engagement with the contacts 12 and 13. The contacts 12 and 13 are connected to power line 30 by a conductor I06.

Also mounted on the shaft 65 for free rotation thereon is a ratchet wheel 14 provided with a pin 15. The ratchet wheel 14 is biased for rotation in the counter-clockwise direction by a spring I5. The rotation of the ratchet wheel I4 in this direction is controlled by an escapement 81 which in turn can be actuated by an electromagnet 18. The pin 15 is adapted tocooperate with a pivotally mounted arm 19 which carries a contact 80. The arm I! is biased by a spring ti so that it tends to move the contact 80 away from the contact 52. When the ratchet wheel is is rotated sufiloiently in the clockwise direction, the pin 75 moves the arm I9 so as to bring the contact 80 into engagement with the contact 82. When the ratchet wheel i4 is moved in the opposite or clockwise direction, the spring 8i moves the contact do away from the contact '82. The contacts M and 82 are resiliently mounted so that they are not separated by backlash after they are brought into engagement by movement of the lever- 84, as will be hereinafter described.

The two ratchet wheels t4 and W are mounted on the same shaft hi5 and-Whey are preferably located quite close together. These ratchet wheels are moved periodically in the clockwise direction by means of a common member operated from the vertically moving rod 52. This rod carries an arm $33 which extends into one end of a lever 8 1 which is pivotally mounted on part of the rigid frameworks At its outer end the leverdt has pivotally mounted thereon a dog d5 which is similar to the dog it previously described. This dog 35 is provided with a. pin tilt which may he a relatively long pin so as to cooperate with both ratchet wheels 5d and M. v

The tension spring ill connected to the dog at and to the lever M tends to hold thedog $5 with the pin 86 in position so that it,may enter the path of one of the teeth of each ratchet wheel at and M. A suitable abutment member at cooperates with a pin Kit inthe same manner as did the abutment member 22' with the pin it. The tone arm ti of the auxiliary phonograph is shown in elevated position and the pin at is clear of both ratchet wheels tit and it. Consequently,

- when either or both or the electromagnets 62 and it is or are energized, the associated ratchet wheel or ratchet wheels are free to turn one step in the counter-clockwise direction. As hereinafter described, the result either immediately or eventually of this movement of the ratchet wheel he is that the motor 46 starts and the rod 52 drops. When this occurs the lever 34 is swung and the dog 85 is moved upwardly beyond the abutment member 88, the pin 86 slipping past the teeth of the ratchet wheels 64 and I4. When, however, the reverse movement of the lever 84 occurs, the pin engages the abutment B8 and the springs! is energized. With the continued The pick-ups l4 and 41 are thus connected to the amplifier in series, but the contacts 4| and- 51, respectively, enable one pick-up to be shortcircuited when the other is in operation. Thus I the contacts 4| arev in engagement when the main turntable II is in its lowermost position and the contacts! I! are in engagement when the ductor S3 to the contact 69. The other contact 33 is connected by a conductor 94 and a relay lamp 95 to one side of the electromagnet it. The latter contact 43 is also connected by a conductor 96 to one terminal of the motor &6. The power line- 29 is connected by a conductor 5'! to the other terminal of the motor 16, by a conductor 98 to the amplifier 38, by a conductor 99 to one terminal of the main motor 93, by a conductor its to one terminal of the electroma net it, and by a conductor ml to one terminal of the electromagnet at.

The operation is as follows: Assunung that the main phonograph is not operating, then the time switch at, which may suitably be actuated by an electric clock or other suitable time-keeping mechanism, causes the conductive arm 5!? to engage one of the contacts W. In the present embodiment of the invention this occurs every quarter ot an. hour. The following circuit is then completed: power line it, electromagnet t2, relay iamp ti, contact 5d, arm r39, conductor m2, and power line 3h. The electromagnet it is thus energized and it operates the escapement t3 so that the pin t'd moves away from the arm $8.

The springii now raises the contacts 69 and it into engagement with contacts i2 and it. The

engagement between the arm 5% and the contact dd only exists for a short time and may be regarded as being broken'forthwith. The following circuit is now completed; power line 38, conductor we, contacts 13 and it, conductor 9i, amplifier 3h, conductor at and power line 29. At the same time a circuit is completed from poweriine Lid, conductor Hi6, contacts i2 and t9,

conductor 93, contacts #83 (the same being in engagement owing to the lower inoperative position-of the main turntable id), conductor 94, relay lamp to, electromagnet id, conductor Hill, and power line 29. Another branch of this last said circuit passes through conductor 96, motor 46 and conductor 91 to power line 29. The result is that power current is supplied to the amplifier, the motor 46 isput into operation and the ratchet wheel 74 is permitted to move in a counter-clockwise direction, separating the contacts 80 and 82. These contacts are located in the circuit of the motor i3 and, consequently, it is impossible to start that motor until the contacts 80 and B2 are again in engagement.

The initial result of the operation of the motor 46 is that the cam 54 passes from its initial position beneath the rod 52 and permits this rod to descend. The tone arm 5| is thus allowed to descend until the needle of the pickup4'l comes into contact with the playing surface of the record 45.

In the present embodiment of the invention I provide for four distinct transcriptions on the record 45. In the case that the second, third or .fourth transcriptions are being initiated, the

tone arm 5| simply drops onto the record again at the point irom. which it was elevated. If,-

translate the tone arm 5| to initial playing position of the record. This is effected by the pin 48 coming into contact with the arm 49 and swinging the shaft 58 in the appropriate direction. While the shaft 58 is being swung, it is' past the adjacent teeth of the ratchet wheels 84 and 14, without affecting these ratchet wheels.

The transcription is now played, for example, for a period of almost a minute and at the end of that time the next cam 54 proceeds to elevate the shaft 52. That elevation raises the pick-up 41 oil the record, it being noted, however, that the arm 53 frictionally engages the tone arm 5| in such a manner that when the rod 52 is again lowered, the pick-up 41 will be placed on the record in the same position that it was before except, of course, when the tone arm has to be moved to the initial playing position on the record. The elevation of the rod 52 brings the contacts 51 into engagement. As the rod 52 elevates it swings the dog 85 bodily downwardly and the pin 88, when it clears the abutment 88, snaps into contact with teeth on the ratchet wheels 84 and 85. When this occurs the contacts 59 and 18 are separated from the contacts 12 and 18 and the contacts 88 and 82 are brought into engagement.

The main phonograph can now be played by inserting the appropriate coins in the coin chute 25 in the manner previously described. If, however, a customer inserts a coin, or a plurality of coins, into the coin chute 25 while the auxiliary phonograph is playing, then each coin completes a circuit including power line 38, contacts 28, lamp 21, conductor I85, electromagnet 28, conductor I84 and power line 28. Consequently, the electromagnet is energized as many times as coins are inserted, and the ratchet wheel 22 moves in the clockwise direction a corresponding number of teeth. The first movement of the ratchet wheel 22 causes the contacts 34 and 85 to come into engagement with the contacts 38 and 31, respectively. The following circuit is tact 35, conductor 92 to contact 88. However,

while the auxiliary phonograph is playing the contact 88 is out of engagement with the contact 82 so that this circuit remains ineffectual until the auxiliary phonograph has completed playing its particular transcription and the tone arm 5| has been elevated.

Immediately the ratchet wheel 14 is rotated one step in the clockwise direction by the dog 85, contacts 88 and 82 make engagement and the circuit for the motor I 3 is then completed. The result of the operation of the motor I8 is that a selected one of the records I5 is brought into alignment with the turntable l8 and that turntable rises, bringing the record into contact with the needle of the pick-up |4. After the record l5 has played the turntable l8 descends, the record is taken from the turntable and replaced in the stack.

The descent of the turntable I8 is accompanied by 'a half rotation of the shaft H, which moves the ratchet wheel 22 one tooth in the counterclockwise direction. The playing of records is repeated until at last the pin 82 moves the arm 33 so as to move the contacts 34 and 85 out of engagement with the contacts 88 and 81. Of course, if one or more coins are inserted in the coin chute 25, the phonograph will play again for a corresponding number of times.

It is to be noted that when the turntable I8 is up, the contacts 48 are out of engagement with each other and, consequently, the coming of the arm 59 of the time switch 58 into engagement with one of the contacts 88 will not initiate the operation of the phonograph 44. What happens is that the ratchet wheel 84 will rotate one tooth in the coounter-clockwise direction and the contacts 89 and 18 will be moved into engagement with the contacts 12 and 18. The circuit previously referred to as being made through the amplifier will again be made, this circuit being in shunt relation to the existing circuit for the ampliiier. However, the circuit previously referred to as being made through the contacts 89 and 12 will not be completed owing to the fact that the turntable I8 is in its upward position and the contacts 48 are out of engagement. When, however, the turntable l8 next descends, and it may here be noted that it descends after the playing of each record l5, the contacts 48 are brought into engagement, the electromagnet 18 is energized so that the contacts 88 and 82 are separated, and the motor 48 is put into operation. Owing to the separation of the contacts 88 and 82, the motor |8 cannot come into operation, irrespective of the position of the ratchet wheel 22, until it completes its transcription.

Upon the completion of the transcription the contact 88 is moved into engagement with the contact 82, the contacts 89 and 18 are separated from the contacts 12 and 18 and if the contacts 84 and 88 are in engagement with the contacts 88 and 81, the operation of the main phonograph is resumed until at last the contacts 84 and 85 are separated from the contacts 38 and 81.

It' will thus be seen that I have provided the combination of a main phonograph and an auxiliary phonograph, the main phonograph being available for coin-freed use in well-known manner and the auxiliary phonograph coming automatically into operation at intervals. I have provided mechanism whereby one phonograph is rendered unable to interrupt the operation of the other phonograph until it has finished its playing. And I have provided mechanism whereby the auxiliary phonograph is caused to interrupt, at its appropriate time or a short time thereafter, a program on the main phonograph, which program is resumed after the auxiliary phonograph has had,its turn.

Although the invention has been disclosed in connection with the specific details of a preferred embodiment thereof, it must be understood that such details are not intended to be limitative of duction of a series of records, auxiliary means for the invention except in so far as set'forth in the accompanying claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

i. In combination, means including a pick-up for reproducing a phonographrecord, manually operable means for initiating the reproduction of thereto including said pick-ups in series, and 'means in each reproducing means for short-circuiting its-pick-up.

' 2. In combination, means for reproducing a phonograph record, coin controlled means for initiating the reproduction of a record, auxiliary means for reproducing a phonograph record,

' means including a clock for automatically and periodically initiating the reproduction of last said record, and means operatively associated with each initiating means and adapted to be actuated thereby for rendering the other reproducing means inoperative.

3. In combination, means for reproducing a phonograph record, manually operable means for initiating the reproduction of a record, auxiliary means for ,reproducing .a phonograph record, means including a clock for automatically and periodically initiating the reproduction of last said record, and means operatively associated with each initiating means for rendering the other reproducing means inoperative, and means on each reproducing means for rendering the other reproducing means operative.

i. In combination, means including a pick-up for reproducing a phonograph record, coin controlled means for initiating the reproduction of a record, auxiliary means including pick-up for.

reproducing a phonograph record, means including a clock for automatically and periodically initiating the reproduction of last said record, means operatively associated with each initiating means to render the other reproducing means inoperative, means oh each reproducing means for rendering the other reproducing means operative, an amplifier, a pick-up circuit connected thereto including said pick-ups in series, and means in each reproducing means for short-circuiting its pick-up.

5. In combination, means for reproducing a phonograph record, manually operable means for setting the said means for the reproreproducing a phonograph record, means controlling the operation of last said reproducing means, clock means adapted automatically and periodically to move last said means to operative position, and controlling means operable by the first said reproducing means adapted to initiate the operation of the auxiliary reproducing means.

'6. In combination, means for reproducing a phonograph record, coin controlled means for setting said means for the automatic reproduction of a series of records, auxiliary means for reproducing a phonograph record, a control memher, a clock for moving said member to operative position at definite intervals, controlling means adapted to be operated by the first said reproducing means at the end of the playing of each record, said control member and-controlling means being adapted to cooperate to initiate the operation of the auxiliary reproducing means, and means actuated by the auxiliary reproducing means at the end of its playing operation for initiating the operation of the first said reproducing means.

"7. In combination, a phonograph, coin controlled means for setting said phonograph for the automatic reproduction of a series of records, an auxiliary phonograph, a relay switch, a clock for closing said switch at predetermined intervals, a switch adapted to be closed by the first phonograph at the end of the playing of each record, a circuit including both said switches and adapted when closed.- to initiate the operation of the auxiliary phonograph, and means actuated by said circuit when closed for rendering the first said phonograph inoperative.

8. In combination, a phonograph, counting means operable in stepwise manner by the insertion of coins and operable stepwise in the opposite direction by the phonograph, a circuit for operating the phonograph, a switch in said circuitcontrolled by said counting mechanism,-

a second switch in said circuit, an auxiliary phongraph, a circuit for operating the auxiliary phonograph, a switch in said auxiliary phonograph circuit, a clock adapted periodically to close said switch, a second switchinsaid auxiliary phonograph circuit adapted to be closed at the end of the playing of each record by the first said phonograph, a relay operated by the closing of the last two said switches for opening the second switch of the first said phonograph circuit, and means operable by the auxiliary phonograph at the end of its playing for closing the second switch of the first said phonograph and opening the second switch of the auxiliary phonoi graph.

DONALD I. CONEY..

Patent No. 2,125,100.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION,

July 26, 1958. DONALD I. com.

It is herebycertified that of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5, first column, line 6 beginning with the nmneral and word "1. In" strike out all to and including the word and period "inoperative." in line 29, constituting claims 1 and 2,. and insert instead the following claims'- I 1. In combination, means for-reproducing a phonograph record, manually operable means for initiating the repro-. duction of a record, auxiliary means for reproducing a phonograph record, means including a clock for automatically and periodically initiating the reproduction of last said record, and means operativelyassociated with each initiat ing means and adapted to be actuated thereby for reniering the other reproducing means inopera'tivea 2 In combination, meansincludingapick-up for reproducinga phonograph record, coin controlled means for in itiating the reproduction of a record auxiliary means ineluding a pick-up for reproduc ing a phonograph record, means including a clock for automatically and periodically in-' itiating the reproduction of last said record, means operatively associatedwith each initiating means and adapted to be: actuated thereby for rendering the other reproducing means inoperative, an amplifier, a pick-up circuit connected thereto including said' pick-ups in series andmeans in. each reproducing means for short circuiting its pick-nap and that the said Letters Patent shouldbe read with this correction there-- error appears in the printed specification in that the same. may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 0th day of August, A. D. 1938.

Henry Van Arsdale' (Sea Acting Commissioner of Patents. f 

